stratus

American  

[strey-tuhs, strat-uhs] / ˈstreɪ təs, ˈstræt əs /

noun

plural

strati

1. a cloud of a class characterized by a gray, horizontal layer with a uniform base, found at a lower altitude than altostratus, usually below 8,000 feet (2,400 meters).

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stratus British  

/ ˈstreɪtəs /

noun

1. a grey layer cloud Compare cirrus cumulus

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stratus Scientific  

/ străt′əs,strā′təs /

plural

strati

1. A diffuse, grayish cloud that often produces drizzle and is formed primarily in altitudes no higher than 2,000 m (6,560 ft). A stratus cloud close to the ground or water is called fog.

2. See illustration at cloud

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Etymology

Origin of stratus

1795–1805; < Latin strātus; stratum

Explanation

A low, flat cloud is called a stratus. When the sky is full of stratus clouds, it can make the day feel gray and dull. Stratus can be used as a noun or an adjective: "I can't see the moon—there are too many stratus clouds tonight." Strati are characterized by their dense haziness. They are basically fog that sits low in the atmosphere, occasionally releasing small amounts of rain or snow. Sometimes they're called "high fog." In Latin, stratus means "a spreading."

Example Sentences

Also note the opposing flow of the marine stratus working northward with the convective debris clouds moving southwest towards the coast.

From Seattle Times • May 16, 2023

I'd started therapy again during a particularly gray stretch of weather; flat, uniform stratus clouds hung in the sky, seemingly insulating us from sun, rain, snow or any variety, really.

From Salon • Feb. 20, 2023

Whereas crepuscular rays headlined Tuesday’s sunrise, Monday’s sunrise presented more texture and variety as the sun’s rays intercepted a mix of cloud types — stratus, altostratus, stratocumulus and cirrus.

From Washington Post • Oct. 5, 2021

Even some drizzle occurred this morning from that thick layer of stratus near the coast.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 27, 2021

On the first of June, airplanes flyover the city, extremely high, crawling through the stratus clouds.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr